Fishing-gear.



No. 800,001. I PATENTBD SEPT. 10, 1905.

0. MILLER? FISHING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1904.

. f (to $1161.

"UNITED STATES PATEXT OFFICE. o'r'ro MILLER, OF rnovmnivcn, RHODE ISLAND.

FISHING-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Orro MILLER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing-Gear, of which the'following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and novel improvements in fishing-gear or fish-hooks and of be type or class in which an auxiliary hook is used to further insure or assist the companion or bait hook in holding or securing the fish. it has been usual heretofore in this class of fish-hooks to provide them with a leader, pull-rod, or analogous device, to which the cord or line is secured, the hooks themselves being indirectly connected to said device. In some cases the auxiliary hooks form traps or gafi's arranged when tripped to close down upon the fish. In another case the movable hook is actuated by a slidable fly-carrying sleeve mounted on the shank of the bait-hook.

My invention differs from former fish-hooks or fishing-gear from the fact that each hook is capable of independent movement; and it consists, essentially, of a pair of normally locked or closed hooks, one of which is or may be secured to the line, and means connect-ed with both hooks arranged to be automatically released or unlocked bya pull upon the other or bait hook, the result being to swing or swivel the line-connected hook axially, thereby opening or separating them, and thus forming when in use additional holding means for preventing the escape of the h oked fish.

- It is well known that certain kinds of fish having large mouths-as, for example, seatrout or \veakfish, &c.-are quite liable to escape after being hooked. even when great skill is used by the fisherman to prevent it. Such loss is mainly due to the fact that the fish have very tender mouths, from which the hook is easily torn.

The object I have in view is to produce a fishing-gear well adapted to be used for catching fish of the kind just referred to, the device being brought into play by the fish itselfthat is to say, the action of th fish upon striking the bait-hook instantly releases or unlocks the other or spring-pressed auxiliary hook, the axial movement of the latter thereby separating the point portions of the hooks and at the same time causing the auxiliary hook to pierce the fish. The device is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, it is quick and positive in its action, it is not liable to get out of order or repair, and is strong yet light and simple.

In lieu of a metal spring for opening the books I prefer to use an ordinary rubber band )1 connection, the same being practically unaffected by water. in case the band becomes worn out or broken itcan be instantly replaced by a new one. The other parts of the gear are made of suitable metal.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation representing my improved fishing-gear in the normal operative position as in use, the bait being omitted. Fig 2 is a corresponding side or edge view. Fig. 3 shows the opposite or rear face of the device in elevation. Fig. i is a front view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the relation of the parts when unlocked. It is in this position that its greatest efficiency is attained. Fig. 5 is an inverted horizontal crosssectional view, enlarged, taken on line .1 .1- of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail front view of the base or holder member, also enlarged; and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the rubber band normally contracted, enlarged.

In my improved fishing-gear or duplex fishhook device A, I may use any suitable or wellknown hooks, as a ani 71. I prefer to make one hook somewhat longer than the other,

the shanks thereof being superposed or par-' allel, as sh0wnthat is to say, the point porion of the rear or bait hook I), as drawn, extends above that of the other or front hook a a short distance say one-quarter of an inch-substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The upper portion of the device consists of the washer-like base or holder 0, which carries or supports the hooks. The front and rear sides or faces of the holder are provided with oppositely-disposed integral bearings 0' 0 respectively. A short stem (1'' extends longitudinally through the front bearings 0', its lower portion being secured to a sleeve or collar f, the opposite or upper end being fast to the shank of an eye member In, to which latter the line I may be directly attached. The hook II is also secured to the sleevef', all as clearly shown. As thus arranged, the said members a. 1/ and m are practically integral and adapted to turn or swivel in the bearings 0', but are prevented from endwise movement. The rear or bait hook I; is similarly mounted make somewhat shorter than the other or auxiliary hook u, as clearly shown.

In order to provide means for locking the hooks and maintain'm them in the normally' closed position (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) until released by a pull upon the short or bait hook I), the front hook 1/, or, as drawn, the stem portion u of it, has an arm or lioi'iot said device, a pair of normally parallel zontal lever 71 rigidly secured thereto, the

same extending transversely across and beyond the holder cand terminating at the tree secured to a fish-line the other being the baitend in an eye /1' and a lug or car 14 (See Fig.

5.) To the other hook or stem thereof is secured a bar )1.

for maintaining the members and n in the normally locked position when in use until One end of the This latter is oppositely disposed to the said arm /1 and is non-rcvolu- 2 released or unlocked by a pull upon the baithook. For this purpose I prefer, as herein T; before stated, to employ an elastic or rubber band I, the same being attached to said lug If of arm I! and to a lu or loo 1c of the holder.

a I 1 l hook away from the corresponding part ot c. As thus arranged, it is clear that the tenbers from being accidentally disconnectedor \Vhen, however. sufiicient pull i or stress is applied to the bait-hook I), the latf ter is drawn downwardly until arrested, say, .0 having suitably-disposed bearings, a, c", by the engagement of the upper collar 7)?- unlocked.

with'thc holder 0, thereby at the same time or instant freeing the catch 21' from the arm It, the reaction of the elastic connection 1' im' auxiliary hook (I mounted and supported in' about one hundred and eighty degrees, (see the bearings c, an arm 71 secured to the shank dotted-line position, Fig. 5,) thus opening the hooks.

movable fellow-hook a the fish upon striking the bait will pull with sufficient force to rei tract the hook (sec arrow direction, Fig. 1

or varying the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a fishing-gear having a pair of independently-movable hooks, one being a bait-hook and the other an auxiliary hook, means for securing the hooks together in a locked and substantially parallel normal position, and a device for swinging or turning said auxiliary hook on its longitudinal axis after it is released or un-. locked bya pull upon the bait-hook.

2. A fishing-gear device consisting of a base or holdermeniherlocated at the upper portion books movably mounted in and supported by said holder, one of the hooks arranged to be the arms and allows the spring to swing the other hook around to its limit.

3. In a fishing-gear, a suitably-mounted bait-hook capable of a short longitudinal movement and a swinging fellow or auxiliary hook arranged substantially parallel with the bait-hook. the combination therewith of arms or looking members secured to said hooks,

' and an elastic connection both for holding said arms in the normally locked position and also for swinging the bent portion of the auxiliary the bait-hook when the latter is unlockedby a formed on its front and rear sides, a bait-hook having a limited longitudinal movement and release the locking device. it being asel sumed, of course, that the line] is held by the;

fisherman or is otherwise secured.

\Vhile the drawings illustrate what I now} consider to be the best form and arrangement" of the parts comprising my improved fishinggear A, I do not desire to be understoodas limiting myself to the specific construction of 11 the mechanism set forth, since the same mayil mounted and supported in said bearings 6", an

arm 21 secured to the shank of said hook, an

of the last-named hook and in normal engage ment with the other arm to form a locking 1 may add that by making the bait-hook b device, and a yielding or resilient connection endwise movable and shorter than the axiallyher It, whereby upon depressing the bait-hook r attached to said holder and to the arm membook around from the normal position, substantially as hereinbefore described and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Providence, Rhode Island, this 1st day of November, 190;.

. OTTO MILLER. \Vitnesses:

Geo. H. REMINGTON,

HENRY P. STONE. 

